Notification of changes to DWP - to do or not to do ...

calcotti

cheekyweegit said: You need to update your mother in law's address with DWP as soon as possible to make sure she gets the correct benefits even when just State Pension, being in a care home she will be entitled to the shared rate of Winter Fuel Payment and not the full amount (not sure what will happen re the cost of living payment increase for this yet).

The basic WFP will apply if in a care home and not in receipt of Pension Credit.
https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-much-youll-get

You qualify, live in a care home and do not get certain benefits
Born between 26 September 1942 and 25 September 1956 - £250
Born on or before 25 September 1942 - £300

If Pension Credit is received then no WFP is payable.

You qualify, live in a care home and get one of the benefits - Nil

calcotti

cheekyweegit said:
Regarding Power of Attorney / Appointeeship, if she has capacity to award Power of Attorney, Appointeeship is generally not granted unless a customer is terminally ill.  There is a back log of Appointee Applications just now and Power of Attorney can take a while too as this has to go through the courts.  If there is any chance she is entitled to Pension Credit, apply for this even online as you can get reduced fees for the Power of Attorney when in receipt of Pension Credit not to mention a host of other things. 

If she has capacity then dealing with Power of Attorney is dealt with by the Office of The Public Guardian - no court is involved. The fees are only £82/LPA if done online. The process takes several months. (But will probably be quicker than applying for Pension Credit for which many claims are currently taking up to six months.)

Savvy_Sue

thanks again. Glad I asked the question, all sorts of things which never occurred to me, and we have a choice regarding the way forward, which we choose will depend on how she is when we see her next week. I can get a letter drafted asking for a correspondence address to be added, if she can sign it then happy days. Or we can try phoning if she's alert. 

She is terminally ill, and frankly it wouldn't surprise me if this all becomes academic, and the actual PofA should be granted soon because of how long ago we applied, but who knows? 

Savvy_Sue

So we've come for a visit, BiL has produced various letters, and behold, she already receives lower rate AA, since last autumn. No idea who helped her apply for that.

So I'm guessing a letter with change of address, terminal diagnosis and all the details I was going to put on a new application might do the trick to get higher rate? 

calcotti

Savvy_Sue said:

So I'm guessing a letter with change of address, terminal diagnosis and all the details I was going to put on a new application might do the trick to get higher rate? 

A simple letter with a copy of the DS1500 asking for the claim to be reviewed will do. Send it to FREEPOST DWP Attendance Allowance. Should get processed within two to three weeks. If you want to log the date you can ring and explain and follow with the letter - they will not need to speak to her.

She will only be entitled to be paid AA if she is self funding after 28 days in the care home (sorry if this is already covered in thread - I haven't got time to review it all at the moment).

Savvy_Sue

We've been told no-one will do DS1500 until they are ready to assess whether or not she is self-funding ... but if we can phone, then I'll try that today.

Thank you so much. 

Savvy_Sue

calcotti said:

Savvy_Sue said:

So I'm guessing a letter with change of address, terminal diagnosis and all the details I was going to put on a new application might do the trick to get higher rate? 

A simple letter with a copy of the DS1500 asking for the claim to be reviewed will do. Send it to FREEPOST DWP Attendance Allowance. Should get processed within two to three weeks. If you want to log the date you can ring and explain and follow with the letter - they will not need to speak to her.

She will only be entitled to be paid AA if she is self funding after 28 days in the care home (sorry if this is already covered in thread - I haven't got time to review it all at the moment).

Phone call made 8 am today - they are open M-F 8 am - 6 pm. Very helpful lady, phone answered reasonably promptly, not too many keys to press first. 

They are going to send the review form to BiL so at least the date is logged. Wish I'd done it a few weeks ago but had no idea she was already getting the lower rate! 

And the Power of Attorney forms have churned far enough through the system that we now have the letters saying that if we don't object to it being granted, it will be. Seems a strange system ...